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Free-falling from the edge of space

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"This is way bigger than I had anticipated," record-setting jumper says

He soared up to 24 miles -- for the highest balloon ride and highest jump ever

Then the Austrian daredevil hit 833.9 mph at one point, breaking the speed of sound

Risks were low temperatures, thin atmosphere and a possible loss of consciousness

One step, 128,100 feet, and millions of amazed gasps.

In a moment that seems likely to live forever in the annals of derring-do, Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner on Sunday rode a balloon to the edge of space, saluted and stepped off a platform 24 miles high with as much ease as any of us mere mortals might step off a curb.

The former soldier hurtled through the sky at up to more than 830 mph, breaking the sound barrier in a tumbling, gut-churning four-minute free fall before popping his parachute and making a running landing in the New Mexico desert.

"My dad told me of Maradona and Neil Armstrong, I will tell my children of Ronaldo and Felix Baumgartner," another user wrote, referring to Latin American soccer stars and the first man to walk on the moon.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Felix Baumgartner of Austria jumps out of the capsule during the final Red Bull Stratos flight on Sunday, October 14. Baumgartner ascended steadily in a capsule hanging from a helium balloon before jumping from 128,000 feet -- 24 miles up -- with nothing but a space suit, helmet and parachute.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner jumps out of the capsule.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner free-falls after stepping off the 24-mile high platform. He reached speeds of more than 830 mph, breaking the sound barrier.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner parachutes to Earth after his record-breaking skydive on Sunday.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner safely lands in southeastern New Mexico on Sunday.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner celebrates after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos mission.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – People at the mission control center in Roswell, New Mexico, watch Baumgartner during his ascent on Sunday.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – CNN iReporter Joshua Rivas watched Baumgartner ascend in a capsule attached to a helium balloon.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – A crane carrying the capsule follows the helium balloon during the launch on Sunday.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – CNN iReporter Joshua Rivas watched crews prepare the capsule before sending Baumgartner into the air.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Crew members celebrate Sunday's successful launch. Baumgartner hoped to be the first person to break the sound barrier without the protection of a vehicle.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner steps in to the capsule on Sunday. He has been physically and mentally preparing for five years.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner sits in his trailer ahead of Sunday's flight.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Crew members assist Baumgartner in his trailer. The Red Bull Stratos team includes a former NASA crew surgeon, record-breaking aviators and innovative aircraft designers.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner exists his trailer Sunday.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – The high-altitude balloon twists in the wind just seconds before the launch was aborted on Tuesday, October 9, due to high winds.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner leaves his capsule after the mission was aborted on Tuesday.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner stands in the desert after completing the second manned test flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, on July 25.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner sits in his capsule before the scheduled final manned flight of Red Bull Stratos in Roswell on Tuesday, October 9.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner's flight was delayed until further notice because of high winds.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – TV crews report from the launch site.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner works out during preparations for the flight in Roswell on Sunday, October 7.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner stands in his trailer during preparations Saturday, October 6.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – A crew member launches a weather balloon into the stratosphere on Thursday, October 4.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Crew members recover the capsule after the second manned test flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell on July 25.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – ATA crew members fill the balloon with helium at the flight line on July 25.

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Free-falling from the edge of space – Baumgartner's pressurized flight suit and helmet restrict mobility and together weigh 100 pounds.

The 100-pound pressurized flight suit and helmet Baumgartner wore to survive the lethally thin atmosphere and intense cold of near-space could also help save the lives of astronauts forced to bail out of a malfunctioning rocket on its way to space.

"It's hard to realize what happened because there's still so many emotions," Baumgartner said shortly after landing. "I had tears in my eyes when I was coming back a couple of times because you're sitting there and you thought about that moment so many times, you know, how it would feel and how it would look like."

"And this is way bigger than I had anticipated," he said.

Dubbed "Fearless Felix," the helicopter pilot and former soldier had parachuted from such landmarks as the Petronas Towers in Malaysia and the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.

Baumgartner and his team spent five years preparing for Sunday's jump, which had been postponed twice before because of weather.

By most accounts, all the hard work paid off. According to preliminary findings cited by Brian Utley, an official observer monitoring the mission, the 43-year-old Baumgartner flew higher than anyone ever in a helium balloon and broke the record for the highest jump.

Still, even Baumgartner seemed taken aback when Utley detailed how fast he had fallen at one point -- 833.9 mph, or Mach 1.24, smashing his goal to break the sound barrier.

"I was fighting all the way down to regain control because I wanted to break the speed of sound," said Baumgartner. "And then I hit it."

After a weather delay of several hours, he set off at 9:30 a.m. (11:30 a.m. ET) Sunday from Roswell, New Mexico, in breezy, clear conditions, strapped into a pressurized capsule that hung from a giant helium balloon. It took two hours to reach his target altitude.

After running through a 40-step checklist, Baumgartner opened the hatch and climbed out onto a step the size of a skateboard.

"Guardian angels will take care of you," said Mission Control just before he jumped.

"The whole world is watching now," Baumgartner responded.

He saluted and jumped.

He experienced a few hitches. About three minutes in, he reported, "My visor is fogging up." Then he began to veer into a "flat spin" that threatened to send blood rushing to his head and leave him out of control.

"There was a period of time where I really thought, 'I am in trouble,' " Baumgartner said, recalling how he considered pushing a button that would have released a drogue chute, slowing and stabilizing his descent -- and scuttling the attempt to break the sound barrier.

"But after a couple of seconds, I had that feeling I'm getting it under control. And I did," he added. "And that's why I broke the speed of sound today."

After free-falling for about four minutes and 20 seconds, he deployed a parachute for the final mile or two down to Earth.

"There's the chute," said a specialist in Mission Control, and the control room broke into applause.

As soon as Baumgartner landed, he dropped to his knees and raised his fists. The team at Mission Control in Roswell burst into applause.

While he and his team had prepared diligently for the jump, his survival was no guarantee.

In addition to the risk of spinning out of control, Baumgartner's life depended on the integrity of his pressure suit. The temperature when he jumped was expected to hit 70 degrees below zero Fahrenheit or lower. And the atmosphere was so thin that his blood would have vaporized if he wasn't sufficiently protected.

Testing that pressurized flight suit and helmet was one goal of the mission, as it could save an astronaut's life if a manned spacecraft malfunctioned. The outfit had sensors and recorders to measure everything from his speed to his heart rate.

Sunday's successful jump breaks the record set in 1960 by Col. Joe Kittinger, who fell from 102,800 feet as part of a U.S. Air Force mission. Kittinger was a consultant on Baumgartner's effort, serving as the lone person from Mission Control talking to the Austrian throughout his attempt.

Kittinger acknowledged the ups and downs of the years-long effort Sunday. The former aviator was all smiles in lauding Baumgartner, who he said "did perfect," and all the others involved in making the mission a success.

"It was a team effort, and Felix did a fantastic job," Kittinger said. "It was an honor for all of us to work with this brave guy."